Set client connection encryption level

Specifies whether to require the use of a specific encryption level to secure communications between clients and RD Session Host servers during Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connections.

If you enable this setting, all communications between clients and RD Session Host servers during remote connections must use the encryption method specified in this setting. By default, the encryption level is set to High. The following encryption methods are available:

* High: The High setting encrypts data sent from the client to the server and from the server to the client by using strong 128-bit encryption. Use this encryption level in environments that contain only 128-bit clients (for example, clients that run Remote Desktop Connection). Clients that do not support this encryption level cannot connect to RD Session Host servers.

* Client Compatible: The Client Compatible setting encrypts data sent between the client and the server at the maximum key strength supported by the client. Use this encryption level in environments that include clients that do not support 128-bit encryption.

* Low: The Low setting encrypts only data sent from the client to the server using 56-bit encryption.

If you disable or do not configure this setting, the encryption level to be used for remote connections to RD Session Host servers is not enforced through Group Policy. However, you can configure a required encryption level for these connections by using Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool.

Important
FIPS compliance can be configured through the "System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing" setting in Group Policy (under Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options) or through the "FIPS Compliant" setting in Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. The FIPS Compliant setting encrypts and decrypts data sent from the client to the server and from the server to the client, with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-1 encryption algorithms, using Microsoft cryptographic modules. Use this encryption level when communications between clients and RD Session Host servers require the highest level of encryption. If FIPS compliance is already enabled through the Group Policy "System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing" setting, that setting overrides the encryption level specified in this Group Policy setting or in the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool.

Encryption Level

0. Low Level
   

   Registry Hive	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   Registry Path	SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
   Value Name	MinEncryptionLevel
   Value Type	REG_DWORD
   Value	1

1. Client Compatible
   

   Registry Hive	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   Registry Path	SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
   Value Name	MinEncryptionLevel
   Value Type	REG_DWORD
   Value	2

2. High Level
   

   Registry Hive	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   Registry Path	SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
   Value Name	MinEncryptionLevel
   Value Type	REG_DWORD
   Value	3

Choose the encryption level from the drop-down list.